Forsvarsvogn m/45 No.1 - 3
The Norwegian Panther After the Mass influx of German weaponry and vehicles. The Norwegian's wanted a new medium tank, and this was the perfect time to start developing new tanks with new tech. They took the German Panther Series of tanks as inspiration and was able to get a somewhat complete Example of the vehicle. It was missing its gun, suspension system and most of the turret internals. But this was a good start. Forsvarsvogn m/45 No.1 Norways First attempt was just filling in where the missing parts and seeing if that worked. They found that the suspension system was a massive problem due to the slanting that the hull had towards its back. the turret was refitted with an experimental 80mm gun that Kongsberg wanted to test. So at the end of No.1's life it was mostly used as a testbed for new armarment and suspension systems. No.1 Was lost after a swedish Attack where it was used to defend its factory. The defence was successfull but the tank was destroyed in the Final Wave. Forsvarsvogn m/45 No.2 No.2 also known as (Oscar) was built using No.1 as a template. But it had some minor changes, it removed the slanting at the back to make way for a new suspension system aswell as adding a new commanders cupola off to the side of the turret giving more room in the turret. it was at this time Germany capitulated so Norway Created 2 unique Variants of the No.2 one for america and one for France after the Massive assistance in the war. The French was given an Ornamental Parade Version and America Was Given a Repaired and Uparmored Version of the No.1 Hull With VVSS/NT Suspension with a Prototype Dual Rotor Engine. This Engine Type was a way for Norway to show how they have Perfected the Rotory Engines that America Had given to them at the start of the The "Kampvogn" Project. In the End The No.2 Was Never used in Any Combat Usages and was only the Stepping Stone for the Final and Production Version. Forsvarsvogn m/45 No.3 Production No.3 was the final version of the m/45, combining some of the technologies that the others had. It had the Dual Rotary Engine System, VSS/NT pattern Suspension and used the Turret With the commanders Cupola to the side (Like Tiger II P). The Gun was a Kongsberg 80mm Panservernskanon. This Gun Would become a mainstay gun for future tanks. 10 No.3s where built before Norway started to have issues with the engine system. The m/45 would be the first and last tank to use the dual rotary engine system having too many issues when it came to the Gearbox. The Last No.3 to be built did have a new engine in it. a Whilwind Duorot engine, it was basicly 2 rotary engines working on one reinforced axle. It proved to be a massive improvment. But not before the No.3 was obselete. Other tanks did eventually use the Duorot engine. No.3 saw extensive use in the war against Nazi Sweden and after the war some where sold to other countries where they saw other tasks. 2 No.3's where reported to be used in the Korean War.